Improvement in hemmers



Hmmel for Sewing-Machine. NQ. 126,139, PafenfedApri|30,1872.

n y 2 Sheets-Shee 2\ HENRY A, ELLIS.

Hemmervfor Sewing-Machine.

NQ, 125,139, Patemed/xprusomsz.

' /MZQM 1 Nrrnn STATES yPaflnlv'r Enron.

HENRY A. ELLIS, OF GHIOOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HARRYCOMSTOGK, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEMMERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,139, dated April30, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. ELLIS, of Chicopee Falls, in the county ofHampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and ImprovedHemmer for circular or straight work; and I do hereby declare thefollowing is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeinghad to the accompanyingdrawin g making part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1, Plate l, is a perspective view of the improved hemmer.Fig. 2, Plate l, is an elevation of one end of the same. Fi g. 3, Plate2, is a top view, with a portion of the guide broken away. Eig. 4, Plate2, is a front elevat-ion of the hemmer.

Similar letters of referenceV indica-te corresponding parts in theseveral figures.

In the schedule annexed to my Letters Patent numbered 121,046, and datedNovember 21, 1871, I described a pressure-spring, which operated tostretch the cloth at that part where the edge of the hem was stitched toit, thus compensating for the stretched edge of the hem and producingsmooth work.

One object of my present invention is to automatically gather in andstitch down the folded edge of a hem of curved form without plaitin g orpuckering the work, and at the same time I provide means whereby thegathering operation shall be under complete control of the operator, aswill be hereinafter explained. Another object of my invention is -toreduce the friction on the guide over which the work is folded by meansof one or more anti-friction rollers applied to said guide; also to soconstruct the gathering device that it can be adjusted for gathering upmore or less 0f the material at each stroke, or soadjusted that it willbe practically out of operation, as will be hereinafter explained.

The following description of my invention will enable others skilled inthe art to understand it.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents a narrow strip of metal ofproper length and thickness, which is slotted longitudinally, as shownat a., for thepurpose of receiving through it a screw, c, on which is athumb-nut, c', for securing to the plate A a block, B. By loosening thenut c the edge b can be adjusted toward or from the gathering andturning devices, according to the width of the hem to be turned. At oneend the slotted plate A terminates in a hemming-v guide, N, whichextends backward, and forms with plate A an angle more or less acute. Atthe rear ex-v tremity of this guide I apply a smallwheel, b2, which isfree to turn, and at an intermediate point between this wheel and theend b of the plate A the edge of the guide N is curved out at b1, sothat the cloth while being folded over the guide will bear against it atthe two points b b2, and be somewhat slack transversely between theturner G and said point b1. This allows the edge of the cloth to enterthe turner freely. If desired an anti-friction wheel may b e applied tothe end of plate A at b, or at any other point where the fold of thehem' would be liable to drag. I do not, therefore, confine myself' tolocating an anti-friction wheel on the rear end ofthe hem-guide N. Theadjustable block B has a rear extension ;formed on it, rising from whichis a standard, B',1 having a socket in its upper end and a set-screw, t,applied to it. By this means the device can be attached to thepresser-shank of a sewingmachine. Rising from the front edge of theblock B is a standard, C, to the upper end ot' which an arm, D, ispivoted, which is allowed to vibrate forward and backward. The lower endof this arm D receives loosely a lug, i, which is fast on the upper sideof a scrollturner, G. On this arm D another arm, D', is formed, whichextends backward and upward and receives through its upper end a screw,e, on which is applied a thumb-nut, e.' The screw e rises from theiiattened portion of the extension B', and has coiled around it aspring, E, which gives the forward strokes tothe arm D and turner G. Thebackward strokes are given to the scroll Gr by means of the needle-barof the sewing-machine, or any suitable extension thereof, or by anyother means actuated by the driving power of the sewing-machine. Theturner G is applied to an overhanging portion of the adjustable block Bby means of a dovetal tenon, s, which is fitted into a correspondinggroove in said overhan ging portion. By these means the turner, whichmay be eitherof the scroll form or of any otherkind, receives areciprocating movement, the length of the strokes of which can beadjusted by means of the nut e on the screw e. Just in rear of theneedle-opening f are nipper-plates g `g, which are formed on or securedto the scroll G so as to extend beyond its forward end and terminate infrictional griping or pinching ends, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Thesenippers receive between them the folded edge of the cloth on its way tothe needle, and throw up this edge into gathers, which are stitched downas rapidly as they are produced.

It is not intended to plait or fold over the gathers, as this would notleave the work smooth. I, therefore, adjust for a given length ofstroke, according to the greatest amount of material to be gathered upin a given length of hem, and construct the biting portions of thenippers with smooth edges, so that the operator can hold back the edgeof the hem, more or less, during the forward strokes of the nippers. Inthis way, and by such manipulation, the gathers can be increased ordiminished, at pleasure, without stopping the machine to ad just thestrokes of the nippers. l

For hemmin g straight work the nippers are adjusted so far back thatthey will not operate to gather the cloth beneath the needle of thesewing-machine.

I am aware that it is not new to employ vibrating nippers, which presentto the cloth serrated positively-holding ends.

It is obvious that a hem may be turned and the work gathered with ahem-guide N, which is made with a straight edge; but I prefer to use theguide as represented.

Having describedmyinvention, wh at I claim as new is- 1. Thecombination, with the reciprocating gathering and hemming devices, ofthe hemguide N, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the turner G, whether stationary or made toreciprocate, of the inclined hem-guide N and a friction-roller,substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The edge of the hem-guide, provided with the coneavity, and arranged,in the relation described, to a turner, G, or its equivalent, for thepurpose set forth.

HENRY A. ELLIS.

Witnesses: J. N. CAMPBELL, JAMEs MARTIN, Jr.

